EMC Isilon Buys Former Partner Likewise …
In cross-platform storage software
This is a Press Release edited by StorageNewsletter.com on March 21, 2012 at 2:57 pmHere is a letter from Likewise CEO Barry Christ,
CEO of Likewise Software Corporation
I am thrilled to announce that Likewise has been acquired by the Isilon Storage Division of EMC Corporation. With the acquisition, we are joining a broad technology portfolio of world-class storage solutions at EMC.
Likewise was founded nearly seven years ago with a focus on providing an easy method for organizations to manage access and data across Windows, Linux & Unix, and Mac environments. This journey led us into the fastest waters in the technology industry: helping enterprises of all sizes store and manage unstructured data across diverse computing platforms and environments.
Over this journey we built strong bonds with many of the largest and most complex enterprise organizations. We developed OEM relationships with the largest players in storage; most recently this has included a deep partnership with Microsoft related to our development of the SMB protocol on non-Windows platforms. And over the years we’ve put together a world-class team, which has built great technology and delivered great products. I’m consistently struck by the high praise the Likewise community of customers and partners have bestowed on our engineering team for our software accomplishments.
With the acquisition, the Likewise team will be joining the leader in all meaningful segments of the storage industry, including one that is very dear to us: unstructured data storage and management. EMC is a great family for ours to join, and I predict that many of the best times for the Likewise team are still ahead of us.
I want to thank all of the Likewise customers, partners, investors, and employees for everything that you have contributed over the years. I’d also like to thank Isilon for their ongoing advocacy for Likewise. I’m thrilled that we have delivered a solid win for all involved.
Comments
Formerly Centuris, Likewise Software is a small developer of a
multiprotocol, identity-aware platform for network access to files used
in OEM storage products built on Linux- and Unix-based devices. It
provides secure access to files across a network for a cloud storage
offering, cloud gateway, traditional NAS device, cloud caching device
and network acceleration device.
One of its other products, Data Analytics and Governance, unites
identity, security and storage for managing unstructured data in a
heterogeneous environment.
Born around seven years ago, the Bellevue, WA-based company raised a
total of $27 million in venture capital including $10 million series C
in 2009, and is backed by Ignition Partners, Trinity Ventures and Intel
Capital.
The software firm had previous relationships with Dell, HP, IBM, NetApp and EMC, as well as Isilon and Data Domain owned by EMC.
The price of the transaction was not revealed.
It's the first acquisition by EMC in storage this year after only one in 2011, Zettapoint, in database optimization.
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